Heads up on a fishing license problem...

[Fiskadoro]

I tend to fish a bit and inevitably I get wet.

Last year I ordered my license online and got a blue computer generated license.

Unfortunately these things are not water proof. Water caused mine to loose all the lettering as to what I had actually bought, and consequently I almost got a ticket at Castaic for fishing two rods, as they could not read the part where I purchased the two rod stamp. Rather then argue I took the warning and later just bought a second two rod stamp for the back, but it did kind of piss me off.

This year I went to Sport Chalet to get a "real" license and sure enough I got the same crap there I could of gotten online.

My take is if you want this new piece of crap license to hold up your going to have to protect it from water. Otherwise half way through the season you may end up with something both you and the wardens can't read.


I thought about it a while and actually came up with a vacuum sealing mine in a foodsaver bag..



You can see my last years license that got messed up from getting wet all the time. For this years I just made a foodsaver bag that fit the width, sealed one end and then vacuumed it with the license inside sealing the other end as well.

It's actually pretty nice, as it no longer feels like a cheap computer print-out. I figure if they want me to take it out I can easily cut it open and then just make another bag.

At any rate I thought I'd just give a heads up on the water fading issue. Never had this issue with the old ones. I think these new ones are junk.

Got to love the new technology. The computer also screwed up my weight I'm now officially a inch taller and 20 pounds lighter...
Jim

[jorluivil]

Thanks for the heads up!!

I vacuum sealed mine yesterday and keep my lobster report card in a ziplock sandwich bag. I did the same thing and went to Savon tackle thinking I could get one of the old handwritten ones.......NOT!!

You would think that the DFG would have put more thought into this. Fihing, water, waterproof paper...........hello!!

[roadx]

i was told when i purchased mine at anglers choice that they do not hold up to heat and to keep them out of area's with high heat?? dryer's and such

just passing along what i was told, so.... no matches to your license

[old_rookie]

It would cost us way more to get a laminated license.
I save the pdf file so I can print another - but, I think it is considered a temporary license.

[wiredantz]

I have mine in three ziplock sandwich bags inside of my fishing bag.

[Jimmyz123]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

I have mine in three ziplock sandwich bags inside of my fishing bag.

This is probably the best idea here so that you don't have to worry about it. Peace of mind.

[Podaker]

whatever you do don't laminate your license!!! it will melt the ink, then it will cost you an extra $13 for a duplicate license. i went to the dfg office to ask for a replacement and even though it does not say anywhere on there DO NOT LAMINATE. you will still be charged. also it took the girl there 2 phone calls and about 20 minutes to help me.

[Ndavissd]

I used to laminate my lisc every year go from wally world to staples done . This year the guy at staples said he thought this was heat sensitive and did not recommend laminating it ok thank you - I use one of the small waterproof clear tubes with rubber caps at each end roll it up and slip in thanks to staple guy sounds like he was right based on your experiance

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by Podaker

whatever you do don't laminate your license!!! it will melt the ink, then it will cost you an extra $13 for a duplicate license.

Yeah as an earlier poster said heat will kill it.

I asked around and friend of mine with a DFG connection told me that a laminated license technically is considered altered, or manipulated, and that is against the rules. Once issued you can't legally alter your license. That even if it's not heat laminated (which would destroy this paper) that anything that alters the material of the license itself, or attaches to it's surface in a permanent fashion could be considered a violation. So even something as benign taping it with clear tape might cause an issue with a warden.

The beauty of the food saver bag is the license looks, feels, and is protected just as if it was laminated but there is no heat transfer, or damage, and it does not alter the license. It's not permanently attached to it's surface, so if push came to shove you could open the bag and pull the unaltered license out to prove your not in violation, for a warden that just wants to be an ass about it.


In other words there are no rules against storing the license in a heat sealed, air and water tight, vacuum fit to the license plastic bag, that makes the license appear laminated. Even though lamination of the license itself could be considered against the rules

Jim

[IB Fish"N"]

Well as we all know they do not have to be visable anymore and i was told at Wal-Mart if you put it in a license holder put it in with the backside out cause the sun will fade the writing.

[Billy V]

I would have never thought the print would wash off that new plastic license.

Thanks for the heads up. They don't even give you a duplicate anymore.
I'm going to make a copy of it just in case.

Just another FAIL for the state of kalifornia.

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by IB Fish"N"

Well as we all know they do not have to be visable anymore and i was told at Wal-Mart if you put it in a license holder put it in with the backside out cause the sun will fade the writing.

Yeah that is another issue. They are vulnerable to water heat and sunlight.

This idiocy has got to be about bang for the buck. Print out receipt style licenses are cheaper to produce and there is less man hours in paperwork as it's all already on computer.

I just feel bad for the brilliant guy who figured out the old system, and who has now lost the California account.

Those old licenses were indestructible, color coded, impossible to counterfeit, just a very well designed system that worked, but they are now phased out to a vastly inferior system purely because the bean counters want a cheaper less labor intensive way to do it.

Sure rubs me the wrong way, on multiple levels.

Jim

[jorluivil]

And just to add insult to injury.......I found out from Savon tackle that there is a catch for any vendor of these licenses. Before the vendor is sent the computer they must submit a deposit for the entire system, the deposit will be held until the computer system is returned(if you wish to do so), once the system is returned you will get your refund back. The guy at the counter tells me, "We can pretty much consider that money gone. We need to sell these licences and since the DFG no longer sells the handwritten ones we are forced to keep these computers which means that they will keep our money". He didn't tell me how much the deposit was but he did say that it wasn't a small amount. This sucks for the smaller mom & pop operation that are already struggling.

[mtnbykr2]

Another fabulous F%$# up by our wonderful government

[tagyak]

it is a very sad state of affairs that we are in for california. that the state has to resort to nickel and dimming us to keep their special interest afloat if not their bloated salaries.

it also makes me think from what jim day said of almost getting a ticket for not able to read the print out for the two poles; maybe the state is or will use that for their benefit too. give out tickets to stuff the coffers with our money with bogus fines.

just something that makes you say HUMMM

also thanks jim for the heads up and also for a cool solution. i like that it looks so clean, makes me want to go buy a food saver now.

[hatchetman]

I felt the same way when my wife brought hers home, what a piece of crap.
I have no doubt that the state will have a record year for fishing license revenue. I fully expect the supporter of the MLPA will use this info to show that recreational fishermen/women are spending more than ever, thus proving that the MLPA dose not hurt fishing revenue. Be careful of making a photo copy as the intense light may be harmful to the license. I do like the food saver idea, will definitely be doing the same. Another issue that we had was that some retailers will not sell a license without the actual person present.
Sports Authority in Chula Vista would not sell my wife my license even with my ID # or ID, they would sell her a voucher so I could pick up my license in person. I always enjoyed being able to purchase a license for family and friends without them being present, saves time and trips to the store. We should sell Kalifornia to Arizona so thing can get back to normal.

[wiseguy]

I scanned mine into a PDF file just in case and I also keep it in a zip lock baggie inside my water proof container.

[sdfisher]

I talked to Bill from Barnacle Bill's bait and tackle and he told me that the computer deposit is $1000 and then the DFG wants the retailer to put in a internet line for the computer, he declined to do it and now does not sell licenses anymore

Also a lot of stores will say that their software is not working for the machine, but it is not true, they have just not been trained to operate it. a buddy went to walmart and sports chalet and both had given him this reason for why they couldn't sell him a license. I purchased mine online, I got a print out good for 15 days while my real one came in the mail

[T-Rex]

Computer generated licenses? - Does anybody know who manufactures the computers, printers and software used for the licenses??? After seeing first hand the conflicts of interest that were completely ignored in the MLPA process, it wouldn't surprise me at all if we learn that Hewlett-Packard is involved with the new license process and making money off the fishing community.

[miller]

Now that they are all printed out what do you do if you want to add an extra pole or other endorsment after you have already bought your license. Before they could just give you the stamp to put on... just curious